Enhanced Catalytic Activity of Platinum Nanoparticles by Exfoliated Metal Hydroxide Nanosheets

A novel 2-dimensional catalytic system was developed in which platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) were immobilized on exfoliated MgAl-layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets through an electrostatic self-assembly between negatively charged Pt NPs and positively charged LDH nanosheets. The LDH nanosheets effectively provided the large double sides of hydroxide functionality to absorb the Pt NPs, as well as fast diffusion rates of the incoming reactants into catalyst surfaces. This new nanostructure improved the rate of reaction, turnover frequency and reaction durability of Pt NPs on LDH nanosheet without significant loss in conversion efficiencies for the reduction of p-nitrophenol into p-aminophenol by NaBH4, maintaining more than 97% of catalytic conversions compared to free Pt NPs as well as commercial Pt/C catalyst.